Fuel valve



Nov. 22, 1966 A. B. GELLMAN FUEL VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24,1963 76 wa Z761 azzemfi GK/mm Nov. 22, 1966 A. B. GELLMAN FUEL VALVE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1963 a I. 6 y 00 10 w a Z (LI 9M? AW 122 AW7 United States Patent 3,286,741 FUEL VALVE Allen B. Gellman, Glencoe,IlL, assignor to Elgin American International, Inc., a corporation ofIllinois Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,994 13 Claims. (Cl. 14118)This invention relates to valves and more particularly to valves of theclass adapted for use in the charging of a reservoir with liquefied gasunder pressure from a fuel container.

The invention is adapted for use in gas cigarette lighters, gas candles,stoves, and other burner devices utilizing liquefied gas fuel.

The gas most frequently used in this type of device is liquefied butanewhich has a very high cofiicient of expansion, as of the order of 2percent of its volume for an increase of 10 C.

During the filling of a fuel reservoir with liquefied butane underpressure from a disposable fuel container, the temperature of the gasreleased from the disposable container decreases substantially below thesurrounding temperature by reason of the expansion and evaporation ofsame. The reservoir is vented during filling to facilitate the inflow offuel. When filling is completed, the reservoir and its contents returnto the surrounding temperature.

In the type of lighter valve assembly which utilizes the gas pressure inthe fuel reservoir to seal its gas inlet passageway, there is a problemof leakage in a twilight zone, that is, when the ambient temperaturedrops to about 40 F. as on a cold day. At this temperature the gas inthe reservoir is contracted and there is not enough pressure to seal thereservoir against leakage. The valve assembly herein disclosed obviatesthis leakage problem.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improvedfuel charging valve.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simplifiedconstruction for a fuel charging valve.

Another object of this invention resides in providing a fuel chargingvalve having an effective seal against the leakage of fuel from thereservoir.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fuel charging valvefor filling a reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from adisposable container which utilizes the temperature changes occurringduring the filling of the reservoir for its operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved valve assembly for charging a reservoir and liquefied gas fuelunder pressure from a disposable fuel container which vents thereservoir to atmosphere while charging the reservoir with fuel.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a lighter, .partly in section andwith parts broken away illustrating one form of the vent valvestructure;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of one form of the fuelcharging valve;

FIGURE 2a is a sectional View taken along line 2a2a of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of another form of fuelcharging valve;

FIGURE 3a is a sectional view taken along line 3a--3a of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of another form ofthe fuel charging valve structure of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of still anotherform of the new valve assembly;

Patented Nov. 22, 1966 FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view inelevation of a further modification of the fuel charging valve structureof the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of another form ofthe invention;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of yet anotherform of the fuel charging valve structure of the invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of another form ofthe reservoir venting valve structure of the valve assembly embodyingthe invention.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail several embodiments of the invention with the understanding thatthe present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the embodiments illustrated. The scope of the invention will bepointed out in the appended claims.

The valve assembly shown generally at 10 is shown in a butane gaslighter having a mechanical operating assembly (not shown) including amanually operable igniting means for igniting fuel at a fuel burnerstructure (not shown). The lighter is filled with liquefied gas fuelunder pressure from a fuel container 12 inserted into the lighter asshown in FIGURE 1. The valve assembly 10 is mounted on a casing 14 offuel reservoir 16 with a portion of the valve assembly 10 extendingthrough an opening 18 in the casing 14 and into the reservoir 16 forcharging same with fuel.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 8 showing a preferredembodiment of a fuel charging valve structure of valve assembly 10,there is provided a filler tube 20, one end of which is adapted toreceive a fuel container 12 as shown in FIGURE 1 and a second endextending into the fuel reservoir. Filler tube 20 has opposed,substantially fiat wall portions 22 and 24 and a fuel passageway 26opening through flat wall portion 24 into the fuel reservoir. A rubbersealing tube 28 encircles the lower port-ion of filling tube 20 forclosing fuel passageway 26. This tube may be composed of any suitableresilient material. A birnetal member shown (generally at 30 is securedto the bottom of filler tube 20 by suitable means such as screw 32. Thebimetal member has a pair of flexible arms 34 and 36 for moving thesealing tube into and out of passageway closing position. Arm 34 extendsbetween the rubber sealing tube 28 and the flat wall portion 22 offiller tube 20 and arm 36 extends over the outside of rubber sealingtube 28. The arms 34 and 3-6 of bimetal member 30 are normally in anexpanded position so that arm 34 pulls the rubber sealing tube 28 intofluid-tight engagement with filler tube 20 to close fuel, passageway 26.The arms 3-4 and 36 are adapted to move inwardly toward the filler tube20 to a contracted position in response to the lowering of thetemperature in the reservoir as fuel under pressure is released from afuel container 12 inserted over filler tube 20 and the venting of .thereservoir through lgas escape port 38 in filler tube 20. The dimensionsof arms 34 and 36 are such that the compression against the rubbersealing tube 20 will be less than the pressure of the input gas in fuelpassageway 26 and thus, durinlg filling, the input gas forces its waysthrough fuel passageway 26 into the fuel reservoir, but immediatelyafter the gas input is stopped, the bimetal arm 36 will compress therubber sealing tube 28 against the filler tube 20 to stopleakage untilthe temperature rises. When the temperature rises to normal, the arms 34and 36 move to their expanded position and arm 34 pulls the rubbersealing tube 28 tight against filler tube 20. This pull plus theincreasing gas pressure within the fuel reservoir causes a fluid-tightseal and the higher the temperature, the tighter the seal becomes.

When the ambient temperature drops into the twilight zone, about 40 F.,as on a cold day, and the temperature of the gas in the reservoir 16 islowered thus reducing the [gas pressure in the reservoir so the leakageis imminent the temperature responsive bimetal arms 34 and 36 move totheir respective contracted positions and perature rises to normal,:assuming room temperature to be normal, the tempenature responsivebimetal arms 34 and 36 move to their respective expanded positions andarm 34 again pulls the rubber sealing tube 28 tightly against thetfiller tube 20.

The fuel charging valve structure shown in FIGURE 2 has a filler tube 40extending into the fuel reservoir and having a fuel passageway 42 forpassing fuel from a disposable fuel container into the fuel reservoir.The filler tube 40 has two opposed substantially flat wall portions 44and 46 as seen in FIGURE 2a, the fuel passageway 42 opening into thefuel reservoir through the wall portion 44. A resilient sealing tube 48encircles the filler tube 48 and overlies the fuel passageway 42. AU-shaped bimetal member 50 is secured to the bottom of filler tube 40 bysuitable means such as screw 52 and has a pair of flexible arms 54 and56 overlying the resilient sealing member 48 adjacent the flat wallportions 44 and 46. The flexible arm 54 and 56 are normally in anexpanded position away from the resilient sealing member 48, When thearms 54 and 56 are in this expanded position, the resilient sealingmember 48 is held in fuel passageway closing position by the pressure ofthe fuel in the fuel reservoir. When the ambient temperature drops toabout 40 F., as on a cold day, and the temperature of the gas in thereservoir is lowered and the pressure is reduced so that leakage isimminent, the temperature responsive Ibimet'al arms 54 and 56 contractto compress the resilient sealing member 48 against the filler tube 40to prevent leakage of fuel through the passageway 42. The compressiveforce exerted by the arm 56 against the resilient sealing member 48 isof such a nature that when it is desired to fill the reservoir withfuel, the pressure of the fuel released from the fuel container movesthe are 56 and the resilient sealing member 48 out of contractedposition.

This form of [fuel changing valve may be constructed so that theflexible arms 54 and 56 of the bimetal member 50 are normally in acontracted position compressing the resilient sealing member 48 intofuel passageway closing position. When the ambient temperature dropsinto the twilight zone, thus reducing the pressure in the reservoir sothat leakage through passageway 42 is imminent, the temperatureresponsive bimetal arms 54 and 56 exert a still greater compressiveforce against resilient sealing member 48 to prevent any leakage fromoccurring. Here again the compressive force exerted by the arm 56against the resilient sealing member 48 is of such a nature that it ismoved out of its contracted posi ion by the pressure of the fuelreleased from pressurized fuel container 12 into passageway 42 tofacilitate filling of the reservoir 16.

FIGURE 3 shows a fuel changing valve structure which operates in thesame manner as the valve shown in FIGURE 2. 'In the valve of FIGURE 3,the bimetal member 50' is held against the end of filler tube 40 by aprotective valve casing 58 which is threaded onto flange '60 of fillertube 40'. The casing 58 has a hole 62 therein for plassingfuel from theinterior of the protective valve casing 58 into the fuel reservoir.

The valve shown in FIGURE 4 utilizes both gas pressure in the reservoirand temperature responsive means for sealing a fuel passageway 64 infiller tube 66. The filler tube 66 forms a valve seat 68 at its lowerend. A tubular valve casing 70 is threaded on filler tube 66. A flappervalve 72 is disposed in the tubular valve casing 70 for movement intoand out of sealing engagement with valve seat 68. The pressure of thegas in the fuel reservoir normally maintains the flapper valve 72 influidtight engagement with the valve seat 68. When the ambienttemperature drops into the twilight zone, thus reducing the gas pressurein the reservoir so that leakage through passageway 64 is imminent,piston 74 is moved upward into engagement with flapper valve 72 by thebimetal coil 76 to assist in holding flapper valve 72 against valve seat68 to prevent leakage of fuel into fluid passageway 64. The forcesholding flapper valve 72 in engagement with valve seat 68 are of such anature that flapper valve 72 is moved out of sealing engagement withvalve seat 68 by the pressure of the fuel released from fuel container12 into fuel passageway 64 to facilitate filling of the reservoir withfuel. In the form shown, the filler tube 66 has a flange portion 78having a gas escape port 80 therethrough for venting the fuel reservoirto atmosphere during the filling of the reservoir with fuel.

The fuel charging valve shown in FIGURE 5 has a filler tube 82 ofmagnetic material having a longitudinal fuel passageway 84 therethroughand forming a valve seat 86 at its lower end. A hollow valve casing 88is sealed on the lower end of filler tube 82 by a sealing ring 90.Within the hollow casing 88 there is disposed a resilient sealing member'92 adapted to seat against valve seat 86 and having a permanent magnet94 secured thereto so that the resilient sealing member 92 is normallyattracted toward the filler tube 82 and therefore in engagement with theseat 86. The end of hollow casing 88 is closed by a plug 96 which isthreaded into the casing and which has a fluid flow port 98 therethroughfor admitting fuel from the interior of the hollow casing 88 into thefuel reservoir. The casing 88 also has ports 100 and 102 for admittingfuel to the fuel reservoir. The filler tube 82 has a flange portion 104with a gas escape port 106 therethrough similar to that shown in FIGURE1 for use with the vent valve structure shown in FIGURE 1 to vent thefuel reservoir to atmosphere simultaneously with the charging of thereservoir with fuel as is hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

The magnetic attraction of permanent magnet 94 for the filler tube 82 isof such a nature that the resilient sealing member 92 is moved out ofengagement with valve seat 86 by the pressure of fuel released from afuel container into the fuel passageway 84 to facilitate filling of thefuel reservoir.

In the valve assembly shown in FIGURE 6 affording simultaneous chargingof a fuel reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuelcontainer and escape of gas from the reservoir, a valve casing showngenerally at 108 has a top wall 110 overlying the reservoir casing 14and closing the opening 18 therein. The casing 108 has a dependingcylindrical wall 112 extending into the fuel reservoir and defining arecess 114. The casing 108 has a gas escape port 116 in its top wall 110communicating with recess 114 and a side vent 118 in cylindrical wall112 communicating the fuel reservoir with recess 114. A resilientsealing member 120 is carried in recess 114 for closing the gas escapeport 116. A filler tube 122 of magnetic material protrudes through thetop wall 110 of valve casing 108 into recess 114. The filler tube 122has a longitudinal fuel passageway 124 therethrough communicating withrecess 114 and providing a valve seat surface 126. A flapper valve 128is disposed in recess 114 of the casing 108 for movement into and out ofsealing engagement with valve seat surface 126. A permanent magnet 130having magnetic attraction for the filler tube 122 is disposed in recess114 below flapper valve 128 for moving the resilient sealing member 120into port closing position and flapper valve 128 into sealing engagementagainst valve seat surface 126 to close fuel passageway 124. The valveassembly is provided with a temperature responsive bimetal coil 132which expands against magnet 130 in response to a lowering of thetemperature in the fuel reservoir. The force exerted by the bimetal coil132 assists in preventing leakage through the gas escape port 116 andfuel passageway 124 when the magnetic attraction of magnet 130 forfiller tube 122 and the pressure in the fuel reservoir are notsulficient to prevent leakage. The end thrust of the bimetal coil 132 isreceived by a threaded plug 134 turned into the casing 108. The plug 134has a fuel port 136 therethrough for allowing fuel to pass from recess114 into the fuel reservoir. The forces exerted by the bimetal coil 132and magnet 130 are of such a nature that the flapper valve 128 andresilient sealing member 120 will be moved out of their respectiveclosed positions by the pressure of fuel being inserted into fuelpassageway 124 from a fuel container inserted over the upper end offiller tube 122 to facilitate filling of the fuel reservoir.

FIGURE 7 shows a valve assembly having a valve casing shown generally at138. The casing 138 has a transversely extending top wall portion 140overlying the reservoir casing 14 and closing the opening 18- therein.The casing 138 also has a depending cylindrical wall portion 142extending into the fuel reservoir and defining a recess 144. The topwall portion 140 of casing 138 has a gas escape port 146 therethroughcommunicating with recess 144 and the cylindrical wall 142 of casing 138has a side vent 14'8 therethrough communicating the fuel reservoir withrecess 144. A filler tube 150 protrudes through the top wall portion 140of casing 138 into recess 144, the tube having a fuel passageway 152therethrough. A resilient sealing ring 154 is carried in recess 144 forclosing gas escape port 146. A cylindrical sleeve 156 is carried inrecess 144 and a piston 158 is mounted in cylindrical sleeve 156 forreciprocating movement, the piston 158 being adapted to cut offcommunication between the fuel passageway 152 and recess 144 and tocause resilient sealing member 154 to close gas escape port 146. Thevalve assembly has temperature responsive means for reciprocating piston158 comprising a fluid 160 in the cylindrical sleeve 156 which changesits volume at a lower temperature than the liquefied gas fuel which isinserted into the fuel reservoir. In the case where butane gas is beinginserted into the fuel reservoir, either alcohol or propane, forexample, is a suitable fluid for this purpose. The recess 144 is closedby a plug 162 threaded into the cylindrical side wall 142 of casing 138,the plug having a fuel port 164 therethrough communicating recess 144with the fuel reservoir to facilitate passage of fuel into thereservoir. The over-all system including the temperature responsivefluid 160 is such that when the reservoir is to be filled, the fluid 160will rapidly contract due to the extremely low temperature of the fluidfuel from the supply to thereby permit the pressure of the fluid fuel tomove piston 158 downwardly while allowing the pressure of fluid fuelremaining in the reservoir to act upwardly on the underside of thesleeve 156 to move the latter upwardly thereby permitting additionalfluid fuel to enter the reservoir through the port 164. When therefilling operation has been completed, it will be appreciated that thefluid 160 will not immediately expand to cause the piston 158 to moveinto a sealing relationship with the sealing member 154. However, theypressure of the fuel in the reservoir will act on the underside of thesleeve 156 to cause the latter to move the piston 158 into such asealing relationship. After a short period of time, the temperature ofthe fluid 160 will attain the temperature of the environment, expandingas the temperature increases until the structure is arranged in themanner shown in FIG. 7. As mentioned above, the fluid 160 is selectedsuch that a significant volume change will only occur at a lowertemperature than a similar volume change of the gas fuel in thereservoir. Accordingly,

when fluid is subjected to a low environmental temperature, it willstill exert a significant sealing force against the piston 158 althoughthe pressure of the fluid fuel in the reservoir against the underside ofthe sleeve 156 may have decreased significantly.

FIGURE 1 shows one form of a vent valve structure of the valve assembly10 associated with a fuel container 12. This form of vent valvecomprises a filler tube 166 having a fuel passageway 168 therethroughand a transverse flange portion 170 closing the opening 18 in the casing14- of reservoir 16. The flange portion 170 of the filler tube 166 has agas escape port 172 venting reservoir 16 to atmosphere as shown inFIGURE 1.

The filler tube 166 has an upper stem portion 174 adapted to be insertedinto the fuel container 12, the stem having an opening 176 therein foradmitting liquefied gas fuel under pressure from the fuel container 12into the fuel passageway 168.

A plunger 178 is mounted for reciprocating movement between an upperposition and a depressed position on the stem portion 174 of filler tube166. The bottom surface 180 of the plunger 17-8 lies in a plane which isat an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the plunger 178. Thisinclined surface 180 engages a washer 182 which, in turn, engages aresilient sealing ring 184 adapted to open and close the gas escape port172.

The plunger 178 has a recess 186 therein which receives a helical spring188 for normally urging the plunger 178 toward its upper position andthe resilient sealing ring 184 into its port closing position.

When the fuel container 12 is inserted over the stem portion 174 of thefiller tube 166, it forces the plunger 178 into its depressed positionas shown in FIGURE 1. When the plunger 178 is in its depressed position,the inclined surface 180 compresses one side of the resilient sealingring 184 while allowing the other side of the resilient ring coveringthe gas escape port 172 to be lifted out of its port closing position,thus venting the reservoir 16 to atmosphere.

FIGURE 9 shows a modified form of a reservoir vent valve structurehaving a filler tube 190 which has a top end adapted to receive a fuelcontainer 12 as shown in FIGURE 1 and a body portion extending into thefuel reservoir. The filler tube 190 has a fuel passageway 192therethrough opening into the fuel reservoir.

A plunger 194 is mounted on the filler tube 190 for reclprocatingmovement between a normal position, as seen in FIGURE 9, and a depressedposition. The plunger 194 has a recess 196 therein having a helicalplunger spring 198 which urges plunger 194 toward its normal position.The end thrust of the spring 198 is taken by a plug 200 inserted throughhole 18 in the reservoir casing 14.

A vent valve slide 202, movable between a normal position and adepressed position, encircles the filler tube 190 and is received withinplug 200. The vent valve slide has an end flange 204 having inclinedupper surface 206.

A vent valve casing 208 has a recess 210 therein and a gas escape port212 therethrough for venting the fuel reservoir to atmosphere. A ventvalve spring 214 in recess 210 urges vent valve slide 202 toward itsnormal pos tion. When the vent valve slide 202 is in normal position,the inclined upper surface 206 of the end flange 204 compresses anO-ring 216 against vent valve casing 208 and plug 200 to close the gasescape port 212. During the filling of the fuel reservoir with liquefiedgas fuel under pressure from the fuel container inserted over the end offiller tube 190, the vent valve slide 202 is moved 1n=to its depressedposition thus releasing the compressive force on O-ring 216 andunblocking the gas escape port 212 and venting the fuel reservoir toatmosphere. The vent valve slide 202 is moved into its depressedposition by plunger 194 which is moved into its depressed positionagainst vent valve slide 202 by the fuel container inserted over the endof filler tube 190.

This vent valve structure may have a' resilient sealing ring 218 forclosing the fuel passageway 192 as shown in FIGURE 9.

I claim:

1. A valve assembly for simultaneously charging a reservoir withliquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and venting thereservoir to atmosphere, comprising: a filler tube having one endadapted to receive said fuel container and a second end extending intosaid fuel reservoir, said filler tube having opposed substantially flatwall portions, said filler tube having a fuel passageway therethroughopening through one of aid flat wall portions into said reservoir; arubber sealing tube encircling said filler tube for closing said fuelpassageway; a bimetal member secured to said filler tube and having apair of flexible arms for moving said sealing tube into its closedposition, one of said arms extending between said rubber sealing tubeand the flat wall portion of the filler tube opposite said fuel port,the second arm of said bimetal member extending over the outside of saidrubber sealing tube, said arms of the bimetal member normally being inan expanded position so that said first arm pulls the rubber sealingtube into fluidtight engagement with said filler tube to close said fuelpassageway, said arms being adapted to urge inwardly toward the fillertube to a contracted position in response to a lowering of thetemperature in said reservoir as said fuel under pressure is releasedfrom said fuel container into the filler tube and said reservoir isvented to atmosphere, the construction of said second arm being suchthat when urging toward its contracted position its compres sive forceagainst the rubber sealing member is less than the pressure of the fuelin the fuel passageway of the filler tube so that the fuel passesthrough the passageway into the fuel reservoir.

2. A valve assembly for simultaneously charging a fuel reservoir withliquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and venting thereservoir to atmosphere comprising: a filler tube having one end adaptedto receive said fuel container and a second end extending into said fuelreservoir, said filler tube having opposed substantially flat wallportions, said filler tube having a fuel passageway therethrough openingthrough one of said flat wall portions into said reservoir; means forventing said reservoir to atmosphere; a rubber sealing tube encirclingsaid filler tube for closing said fuel passageway, a bimetal membersecured to said filler tube and having a pair of flexible arms overlyingsaid rubber sealing tube, said arms normally being in a contractedposition compressing said rubber sealing tube against said filler tubeto close said fuel passageway, said arms being adapted to be moved awayfrom said filler tube into an expanded position in response to thepressure of the fuel released from said fuel container into said fuelpassageway and a lowering of the temperature of the bimetal member asthe fuel released from said fuel container expands in the fuelpassageway of the filler tube and the reservoir is vented to atmosphere.

3. A valve assembly for simultaneously charging a reservoir withliquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and venting saidreservoir to atmosphere, comprising: a filler tube having one endadapted to receive said fuel container and a second end extending intosaid fuel reservoir, said filler tube having a pair of opposedsubstantially flat wall portions, said filler tube having a fuelpassageway therethrough and opening through one of said flat wallportions into said fuel reservoir; a rubber sealing tube encircling saidfiller tube for closing said fuel passageway; a U-shaped bimetal membersecured to said filler tube and having a pair of flexible arms overlyingsaid rubber sealing tube, said arms normally being in an expandedposition away from said rubber sealing tube, said rubber sealing tubenormally being compressed against the filler tube by the pressure of thefuel in said fuel reservoir to close the fuel passageway, said flexiblearms adapted to be moved inwardly toward said filler tube into acontracted position compressing said rubber sealing tube against saidfiller tube in response to a lowering of the temperature in saidreservoir to prevent leakage through said fuel passageway, theflexibility of said arms being of such a nature that they are moved awayfrom the filler tube by the pressure of the fuel released from said fuelcontainer into said fuel passageway to facilitate filling of the fuelreservoir.

4. A valve assembly affording simultaneous charging of a fuel reservoirwith liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and escapeof gas from the reservoir, comprising: a valve casing having a top walland a cylindrical side Wall extending into said reservoir and having arecess therein, said casing having a gas escape port in its top wallcommunicating with said recess and a side vent in said side wallcommunicating said reservoir with said recess; a resilient sealingmember carried in the recess of said casing for closing said gas escapeport; a filler tube of magnetic material protruding through the top wallof said valve casing into said recess; said tube having a fuelpassageway therethrough and providing a valve seat; a flapper valvecarried in the recess of said casing for movement into and out ofsealing engagement with said valve seat; means having magneticattraction for said filler tube for moving said resilient sealing memberinto port closing position and said flapper valve into sealingengagement against said seat to close said fuel passageway; andtemperature responsive mean for holding said magnetic means against saidflapper valve to prevent leakage of fuel from said reservoir, saidmagnetic means and said temperature responsive means being of such anature that said resilient sealing member is moved out of port closingposition and the flapper valve is moved out of sealing engagementagainst said valve seat by the pressure of the fuel released from saidfuel container into said fuel passageway to facilitate filling of thefuel reservoir.

5. A valve assembly affording simultaneous charging of a fuel reservoirwith liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and escapeof gas from the reservoir, comprising: a valve casing having a top wall,a cylindrical side wall extending into said reservoir and a recesstherein, said casing having a gas escape port in its top wallcommunicating with said recess and a vent in said side wallcommunicating said reservoir with said recess, said casing having afiller tube through said top wall and extending into said recess, saidfiller tube having a fuel passageway therethrough communicating withsaid recess; a resilient sealing ring carried in the recess of saidcasing for closing the gas escape port; a cylindrical sleeve in therecess of said casing; a piston mounted in said cylindrical sleeve forreciprocating movement, said piston being adapted to cut off thecommunication between said fuel passageway and said recess and to causethe resilient sealing member to close said gas escape port; andtemperature responsive means for reciprocating said piston, said casinghaving an outlet port communicating said recess with said fuelreservoir.

6. The valve assembly as described in claim 5 wherein the temperatureresponsive means for reciprocating the piston comprises a fluid in saidcylindrical sleeve which changes its volume at a lower temperature thanthe liquefied gas fuel.

7. The valve assembly as specified in claim 6 wherein said fluid ispropane and said fuel is butane.

8. The valve assembly as specified in claim 6 wherein said fluid isalcohol and said fuel is butane.

9. In a filler valve assembly for the fuel reservoir of a liquefied gasfuel device that is subjected to use in an environment that is subjectto temperature variants and having means defining a fuel passagewayopening through a valve seat into said reservoir together with a valvemember movable toward and away from said valve seat, said assemblyincluding fluid pressure responsive means for urging said valve membertoward said valve seat with a force proportional to the pressure of fuelin said reservoir, the improvement comprising: thermal responsive meansin said reservoir for urging said valve member toward said seat with aforce inversely proportional to the temperature of said reservoir,whereby when the pressure of fuel in said reservoir decreases inresponse to a decrease in environmental temperature, the force urgingsaid valve member toward said valve seat applied by said thermalresponsive means will increase to insure maintenance of said valvemember in a sealing relation with said valve seat.

10. The filler valve assembly of claim 9 wherein said fuel passagewayopens through a valve seat in an end member of a tubular casingextending within the reservoir, said valve member is a flapper disc insaid casing and said thermal responsive means is an elongated bimetalspiral which, upon a reduction in temperature, urges said flapper discagainst said valve seat.

11. The filler valve assembly of claim 10 wherein said tubular casing isopen ended, said bi-metal spiral is seated against a surface in saidreservoir outside said casing and operates on said valve member througha piston slidable in said casing.

12. The filler valve assembly of claim 10 wherein said tubular casinghas a closed end and said elongate spiral bi-metal element acts betweensaid closed end and said flapper disc.

13. A filler valve assembly for the fuel valve of a liquefied gas fueldevice having means defining a fuel passageway formed in an elongatedtubular member and an opening through a valve seat in the side wall of afuel reservoir, and a valve member movable toward and away from saidvalve seat, said valve member comprising a resilient band surroundingsaid tubular member and being urged by said valve seat by the pressureof fuel in said reservoir and away from said seat by the pressure offuel from a supply connected with said passageway, and the improvementcomprising: a thermal responsive element in said reservoir and operableon reduction of the temperature of said reservoir to supplement thepressure of fuel in said reservoir and hold said valve member againstsaid seat, said thermal responsive element comprising a fixed elongatedbi-metal strip having one end positioned to urge said band toward saidvalve seat upon a reduction in temperature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 360,139 5/1887Browne 137-59 1,815,394 7/1931 Boosey. 1,870,253 8/1932 Johnson 236-1011,877,510 9/1932 Hughes 137-468 X 2,088,788 8/1937 Hage 137-525 X2,214,844 9/ 1940 Van Keuren et al 137-62 2,658,522 11/1953 Coberly137-468 2,667,895 2/1954 Pool et a1. 137-528 2,707,074 4/1955 Tussey137-525 X 2,949,931 8/1960 Ruppright 137-528 3,032,058 5/1962 Weese137-468 3,074,443 1/ 1963 Iketani 141-293 3,195,590 7/1965 Iketani141-293 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

E. EARLS, Assistant Examiner.

9. IN A FILLER VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE FUEL RESERVOIR OF A LIQUEFIED GASFUEL DEVICE THAT IS SUBJECTED TO USE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SUBJECTEDTO TEMPERATURE VARIANTS AND HAVING MEANS DEFINING A FUEL PASSAGEWAYOPENING THROUGH A VALVE SEAT INTO SAID RESERVOIR TOGETHER WITH A VALVEMEMBER MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT, SAID ASSEMBLYINCLUDING FLUID PRESSURE RESPONSIVE MEANS FOR URGING SAID VALVE MEMBERTOWARD SAID VALVE SEAT WITH A FORCE PROPORTIONAL TO THE PRESSURE OF FUELIN SAID RESERVOIR, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: THERMAL RESPONSIVE MEANSIN SAID RESERVOIR FOR URGING SAID VALVE MEMBER TOWARD SAID SEAT WITH AFORCE INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID RESERVOIRDECREASES IN RESPONSE TO A DECREASE FUEL IN SAID RESERVOIR DECREASES INRESPONSE TO A DECREASE IN ENVIRONMENT TEMPERATURE, THE FORCE URGING SAIDVALVE MEMBER TOWARD SAID VALVE SEAT APPLIED BY SAID THERMAL RESPONSIVEMEANS WILL INCREASE TO INSURE MAINTENANCE OF SAID VALVE MEMBER IN ASEALING RELATION WITH SAID VALVE SEAT.